Events

The U.S. Intelligence Community & the Intelligence Cycle

Jon Olson, U.S. Naval Intelligence Commander (Ret.)

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

7:00 – 8:30 pm/Leighton 304

The U.S. Intelligence Community is a large, highly complex, and, some would consider, a vital organization within the U.S. government. Often controversial, the role of intelligence in support of national security decision-making, the development of foreign policy and security strategy, and in support of diplomatic and military operations will be discussed during this lecture. Our guest speaker will explain the “intelligence cycle,” the various collection disciplines, the organization of the U.S. Intelligence Community, funding for the intelligence community, and the role of the various intelligence agencies within the national intelligence framework. A lengthy question and answer period is available at the end of the lecture for students interested in specifics with regard to the U.S. Intelligence Community and intelligence operations.

JON OLSON, a retired commander in U.S. naval intelligence, served combat tours in Afghanistan and Bosnia, as well as an operational rotation in East Timor and sea duty assignments off Somalia and Iraq during Operations RESTORE HOPE and SOUTHERN WATCH, respectively. An intelligence officer by trade, during his career Jon Olson was assigned to the Navy Staff at the Pentagon where he was charged with rebuilding the U.S. Navy’s Human Intelligence (HUMINT) service; an operational tour assigned as the Senior Intelligence Officer with an amphibious squadron staff based in Japan; a staff tour at U.S. Special Operations Command supporting the U.S. military’s special operations units where he also earned his naval parachutist qualification; and his final tour as U.S. Naval Attaché in the Defense Attaché Office at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, Finland. Jon Olson retired from the U.S. Navy in March 2011.